Tractor loaders



T. G. GRANRYD TRACTOR LOADERS Dec. 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 51, 1961 IN VEN TOR,

T. G. GRANRYD TRACTOR LOADERS Dec. 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 31, 1961 m 9 M a 3 k M J E 0 w ow w/o'l. J3 0% mw v mw United States Patent 3,161,306 TRAQTQR LGADTJRS Thorvald G. Granryd, Lihertyviile, lib, assignor to The Frank G. Hough Co., a corporation of liliiuois Filed Aug. 31, 15 61, Ser. No. 135,311 15 Qlaims. (@l. 214-149) This invention relates generally to tractor loaders, and more particularly to a crowding attachment for the bucket of a front end type tractor loader.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel crowding attachment for the bucket of a front end type tractor loader which will pernit digging under conditions wherein the wheels of the tractor are subject to slippage due to a poor coefficient of friction between the tires and the ground.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel crowding attachment for the bucket of a front end type tractor loader wherein the attachment is constructed as a unitary assembly with the bucket.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a crowding attachment for the bucket of a front end type tractor loader which is easily added to a conventional bucket and which will react against the ground to force the cutting edge of the bucket into any material being worked.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent upon a perusal of the following specification and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a front end type tractor loader constructed according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial view of the structure shown in FIGURE 1 and with the crowding attachment operated to project the bucket into a load; and

FIGURE 3 is a top plan View of the structure shown in FIGURE 1.

The present embodiment is the preferred embodiment but it is to be understood that changes can be made in the present embodiment by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Generally, the present invention comprises a fourwheeled rubber tired front end type tractor loader having a bucket which is pivotally carried on the forward end of a boom. Linkage means connected between the bucket, the boom and the tractor provides for pivoting of the bucket relative to the boom to the various operating positions thereof. Hydraulic means is provided for raising and lowering the forward end of the boom to raise and lower the bucket.

The bucket comprises a pair of side walls interconnected by a curved plate which forms the rear and bottom walls of the bucket. The forward marginal edge or" the bottom wall is provided with a cutting edge which is projected into any material being worked by operation of the tractor in the forward direction. The crowding attachment comprises a ground reaction plate extending transversely of the bucket and a short distance upward on each side thereof. The underside of the reaction plate is provided with ground engaging and anchoring lugs in the form of L- shaped channels or angle iron Welded to the bottom of the reaction plate. The upwardly extending side portions of the reaction plate are each pivotally connected to one end of a pair of links. The other end of each link is pivotally connected to a supporting plate which in turn is secured to the upper portion of one of the bucket side walls. The supporting plate has an extension which extends substantially rearwardly of the bucket. A pair of hydraulic rams are provided, one for each side of the bucket, and each hydraulic ram is pivotally connected between the lower end of one link and the rearward eX- tension of one of the supporting plates. When the attachment hydraulic rams are completely extended, the pairs of links are pivoted at their lower ends toward the cutting edge of the bucket and the reaction plate is carried closely to the underside of the bucket. The tractor is moved forwardly in the digging function until the cutting edge of the bucket engages the load to be dug;

In normal digging of a front end type tractor loader, the reaction provided by the wheels of the tractor against the ground is suflicient to project the cutting edge of the bucket into the load. However, under certain conditions such as when the wheels of the tractor are upon an icecoated ground surface, the tractor does not have sulficient traction to project the bucket into a load. Under such conditions, the present invention is particularly useful.

The boom is permitted to float and the attachment hydraulic rams are then retracted from the position shown in FTGURE l to that shown in FIGURE 2. Upon the retraction of the attachment hydraulic rams, the three relatively long transverse lugs on the underside of the reaction plate will b forced downwardly in a biting or anchoring action against the ground. At the same time, the cutting edge of the bucket will be forced forwardly and slightly upwardly into the load being dug. The possibility of any slippage between the underside of the reaction plate and the ground is greatly less than that between the wheels of the tractor and the ground. This is especially true when the tractor is one wherein only one set of either the forward or rearward wheels thereof are driven wheels.

In detail, the tractor of the present invention comprises a pair of rearward wheels it? and a pair of forward wheels 11 supporting the tractor frame 12. The frame 12 carries an engine compartment 13 at the rearward end thereof and an operators compartment 14 forwardly disposed thereof. The operators compartment 14 includes a seat 15 and a steering wheel 16.

The loader mechanism comprises a boom 13 which is formed in duplicate portions disposed one on each side of the tractor. The boom is somewhat fie-shaped and one end thereof is pivotally connected to the tractor adjacent the operators compartment 14 by pin means 19. The pin means 19 extends between the side wall of the tractor and an outwardly disposed plate 20. The other end of the boom extends forwardly f the tractor. The boom is raised and lowered by a pair of hydraulic rams 21 disposed one on each side of the tractor for each boom portion. in the present embodiment, each boom portion is formed as a hollow box section and the hydraulic ram 21 is disposed therewithin. The rod end of the cylinder of the hydraulic ram 21 is pivotally connected to the boom by pin means 22. The piston rod of the hydraulic ram 21 is pivotally connected to a bracket 23 by pin means 24. Each bracket 23 is secured to the frame 12 of the tractor to depend therefrom. In the present embodiment, hydraulic fluid is delivered to the cylinder of each hydraulic ram 21 through conduits formed through the piston rods. The forward portion of the boom is provided with ground shoes 26.

The linkage means for the loader comprises a pair of hydraulic rams 30 disposed one on each side of the tractor, a pair of levers 31 and a pair of links 32. Each lever 31 is pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof to one of the boom portions of the boom 18 intermediate the ends thereof by pin means 34. The upper end of each lever 31 is pivotally connected to the rod end of one of the hydraulic rams 3% by pin means 35. The head end of each hydraulicram 30 is pivotally connected'to the tractor by pin means 36 secured between the plate 20 and the side of the tractor. The lower end of each lever 31 is pivotally connected, as at 38, to one end of one of the links 32. The other end of each link 32 is pivotally connected by pin means 39 to and between the upper end of a pair of flanges 40. The pair of flanges 40 for each link 32 is secured to the rearward side .of'the bucket :in a transversely spaced relationship to the other pair as may be seen in FIGURE 3. V

The bucket comprises a pair of spaced apart side walls 42 interconnected by a curved plate 43 which forms the upper, rear andbottom walls of the bucket. The flanges 40 are secured to the rearward side of the curved plate 43 and the lower end of each pair of plates 40 is pivotally connected to the forward end of the boom by pin means 44. Thus the bucket is pivotal relative to the boom about the axis of pin means 44. If the hydraulic rams 30 are extended from the position shown in FIGURE 1, the levers 31 are pivoted in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1, and the links 32 are moved rearwardly to pivot the bucket in a counterclockwisedirection as viewed in FIGURE 1. Conversely, retractions of the hydraulic rams 30 cause the bucket to be pivoted in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1 towardsthe dump position thereof. The bucket is raised to a high dumping position by extensions of the boom rams 21.

The bucket further comprises a cutting edge assembly 46 which is secured to the forward marginal edge of the portion of the plate 43 which forms the bottom wall of the bucket. The forward marginal edges of the side Walls 42 of the bucket are reinforced by apair of plates 47 secured thereto by any means such as welding.

' that shown in the present embodiment. In other words,

the member 57 may be welded or secured to a relatively large plate which in turn is welded to the side walls 42, it merely being necessary that the members 57 are rigid enough to absorb the forces applied thereto without bending in the digging of the bucket.

The invention further comprises a pair of hydraulic rams 60. The head end of each hydraulic ram 60 is pivotally connected by pivotal mounting means 61 to one of the brackets 59. The rod end of each hydraulic ram 60 is pivotally connected, as at 62, to one of the links 54 between pivotal mounting means 58 and 52 and substantially closer to pivotal mounting means 52 than pivotal mounting means 58.

The ground reaction plate 48 of the "subject invention a 'is U-shaped with the cross piece thereof of a length substantially equal to or slightly longer than the width of the bucket. The leg portions at each endof the reaction plate 48 extend upwardly a short distance along the outer side walls 42 of the bucket, as may be seen in FIGURES l and 2. Three relatively long anchor members 50 which are L-shaped in cross-section are secured in a spaced apart relationship to each other to the underside of the reaction plate 48 by any means such as welding.

The members 50 are positioned to provide sharp trailing edges of substantially vertical walls so that when the re,- action plate 48 is forced downwardly, the vertical walls of the members 50 will react against the ground to anchor or greatly resist anyrearward movement of the reaction plate 48. The members 50 will also give thereaction plate 48 the required stiffness.

The upstanding side walls of the reaction plate 48 carry pivotal mounting means 51 and 52.., Pivotal mounting means 51 pivotally connects one end of a link 53 to the reaction plate '48-, and pivotal mounting means 52 pivotally connects one end of a link 54 to the reaction plate 48. Pivotal mounting means 51 is positioned substantially forwardly and slightly above the position of pivotal mounting means 52 on the reaction plate 48. The links 53 and 54 on each side of the bucket extend substantially upwardly, and the other end'of link 53 is connected by pivotal mounting means 56 to a supporting plate 57. The other end of each link 54 is pivotally connected by pivotal mounting means 58 to one of the plates 57. The pivotal mounting means 58 is positioned substantially rearwardly and slightly below the position of pivotal mounting means 56 on the plate 57 so that the pivotalmounting means 51, 52, 58 and 56 on each side of the bucket substantially define a parallelogram, as may be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2..

Each plate 57 is secured to one of the side walls 42 of the bucket by any means such as welding. The plate 57 extends downwardly and substantially rearwardly of the bucket and at the rearwardmost portion thereofrcarries a It is further intended that the invention include suitable hydraulic 'iiuid conduits, pump and valve means (not shown) for operation of the various above described hydraulic rains under the control of the operator of the tractor. The bucket of the present embodiment further includes various bracing members rendering the bucket substantially rigid. One of these members is brace member 65 welded to the plate 43 and the side Walls 42 substantially at the upper ends thereof, and another is the brace member 66 secured to the'plate 43 and the side walls 42 at the lower. rearward end of the bucket. The bottom wall of the bucket may further be reinforced by securing additional plates to the bottom Wall to provide the necessary rigidity thereof.

The various pivotal mounting means 61,58, 56,62, 52 and 51, and the'links 53 and 54, must be so positioned that when the hydraulic rams 60 are completely extended, the reaction plate 48 is positioned'against the underside of the bucket immediately rearwardly of the cutting edge 46. Further, the noted pivotal'mounting means and the links 53 and 54 are formed so that when the hydraulic rams 60 are retracted from aposition such as shown in FIGURE 1 to that shown in FIGURE 2, the bucket is moved substantially forwardly relative to thereaction plate'48'. In this movement of the bucket, the members 50 of the reaction plate 48 will grip or bite into the ground 1 to provide. a reaction for the force applied to the bucket by the hydraulic rams 60 connected between the brackets 59 and the links 54. The bucket in moving forwardly into the'material being dug will also slightly rise as the links 54 and 53 are pivoted in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURES 1 and 2.

The three relatively long members 50 extending the full width of the bucket provide a substantial anchor against the reaction forces produced against the bucket by any material beingdug when that material is diflicult to .cut into with the cutting edge 46 of the bucket. Under conditions wherein the rubber tired wheels 10 andll of the tractor are on an icy or slippery surface, the reaction plate 48'permits digging which would otherwise be prac- .tically impossible. It is not necessary that the hydraulic rams 60 be operated only whenfthe tractor is not driving the wheels thereof, but the tractor and the hydraulic rams 60 may be operated alternately or concurrently under varying conditions of digging and tractive effort.

Having described the invention, what is considered new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. A tractor loader having a bucket operatively carried from the forward end .of said tractor, ground reaction means pivotally carried by said bucket and being formed to substantially resist any rearward movement thereof upon engaging the ground, and means connected between said bucket and said reaction means for moving said bracket 59. The arrangement of the plates 57- on the side walls 42 of the bucket may take different forms from 'said cutting edge and operatively related to said bucket so as to reactagainst the ground and move said bucket.

forwardly.

3. A tractor loader having a boom extending forwardly thereof, a bucket having a cutting edge, said bucket carried on the forward end of said boom, a ground reaction plate positioned beneath said bucket rearwardly of said cutting edge, and linkage means pivotally connecting said ground reaction plate with said bucket, said linkage means operable to move said ground reaction plate downwardly and rearwardly of said cutting edge when said linkage means pivots in one direction.

4. A tractor loader having a boom extending forwardly thereof, a bucket having a cutting edge, said bucket carried on the forward end of said boom, a ground reaction plate positioned beneath said bucket rearwardly of said cutting edge, linkage means pivotally connec ing said ground reaction plate with said bucket, said linkage means being formed to move said ground reaction plate downwardly and rearwardly of said cutting edge when said linkage means is pivoted in one direction, and means connected between said bucket and linkage means for pivoting said linkage means in said one direction.

5. A tractor loader having a boom extending forwardly thereof, a bucket having a cutting edge, said bucket carried on the forward end of said boom, a ground reaction plate of a length substantially equal to the width of said bucket, said ground reaction plate positioned beneath said bucket rearwardly of said cutting edge, linkage means pivotally connected between the ends of said reaction plate and the upper side walls of said bucket rearwardly of said cutting edge, said linkage means operable to move said ground reaction plate substantially rearwardly and slightly downwardly of said cutting edge when said linkage means pivots in one direction.

6. A tractor loader having a boom extending forwardly thereof, a bucket having a cutting edge, said bucket carried on the forward end of said boom, a ground reaction plate of a length substantially equal to the width of said bucket, said ground reaction plate positioned beneath said bucket rearwardly of said cutting edge, linkage means pivotally connected between the ends of said reaction plate and the upper side walls of said bucket rearwardly of said cutting edge, said linkage means being formed to move said ground reaction plate substantially rearwardly and slightly downwardly of said cutting edge when said linkage means is pivoted in one direction, hydraulic ram means for pivoting said linkge means in said one direction, and means pivotally connecting said hydraulic ram means between said bucket and said linkage means.

7. A tractor loader having a bucket operatlvely carried from the forward end of said tractor, a ground reaction plate positioned beneath said bucket, linkage means pivotally connecting said reaction plate with said bucket for a downward and rearward movement of said ground reaction plate relative to said bucket when said linkage means povots in one direction.

8. A tractor loader having a bucket operatively carried from the forward end of said tractor, a ground reaction plate positioned beneath said bucket, linkage means pivotally connecting said reaction plate with said bucket for a downward and rearward movement of said ground reaction plate relative to said bucket when said linkage means is pivoted in one direction, and means connected between said bucket and said linkage means for selectively pivoting said linkage means in said one direction.

9. A tractor loader having a bucket operatively carried from the forward end of said tractor, a ground reaction plate of a length substantially equal to the width of said bucket, said reaction plate positioned beneath said bucket, linkage means pivotally connected between the ends of said reaction plate and the upper side walls of said bucket,

said linkage means operable to move said reaction plate substantially rearwardly and slightly downwardly relative to said bucket,

10. A tractor loader having a bucket operatively carried from the forward end of said tractor, a ground reaction plate of length substantially equal to the width of said bucket, said reaction plate positioned beneath said bucket, linkage means pivotally connected between the ends of said reaction plate and the upper side walls of said bucket, said linkage means being formed to move said ground reaction plate substantially rearwardly and slightly downwardly relative to said bucket responsive to pivoting of said linkage means in one direction, and hydraulic ram means connected between said bucket and said linkage means for pivoting said linkage means in said one direction.

11. A tractor loader having a bucket operatively carried from the forward end of said tractor, a ground reaction plate having a length substantially equal to the Width of said bucket, two pairs of links, pivotal mounting means pivotally connecting each pair of links in a substantially parallel spaced apart relationship to each other to one end of said reaction plate and to the upper portion of one side wall of said bucket, said pairs of links being positioned on said bucket so that said ground reaction plate is moved substantially rearwardly and slightly below said bucket when said pairs of links pivot in one direction.

12. A tractor loader having a bucket operatively carried from the forward end of said tractor, a ground reaction plate having a length substantially equal to the width of said bucket, two pair of links, pivotal mounting means pivotaily connecting each pair of links in a substantially parallel spaced apart relationship to each other to one end of said reaction plate and to the upper portion of one side wall of said bucket, said pairs of links being positioned on said bucket so that said ground reaction plate is moved substantially rearwardly and slightly below said bucket when said pairs of links are pivoted in one direction, a pair of hydraulic rams for pivoting said pairs of links relative to said bucket, and means pivotally connecting each hydraulic ram between one side wall of said bucket and one link of each pair of links.

13. A tractor loader having a bucket operatively carried from the forward end of said tractor, a substantially U-shaped ground reaction plate comprising a pair of upwardly extending leg portions interconnected by a cross member, said cross member having a length substantially equal to the width of said bucket, two pairs of links, each pair of links pivotally connected at one end thereof to one of the leg portions of said ground reaction plate, means pivotally connecting the other end of each link of said pairs of links to the upper side walls of said bucket, the pivot axes of each pair of links being positioned to substantially define a parallelogram so that said cross piece of said reaction plate is movable from a position closely beneath the forward portion of said bucket to a position substantially rearwardly and slightly downwardly therefrom when said links pivot in one direction.

14. A tractor loader having a bucket operatively carried from the forward end of said tractor, a substantially U-shaped ground reaction plate comprising a pair of upwardly extending leg portions interconnected by a cross member, said cross member having a length substantially equal to the width of said bucket, two pairs of links, each pair of links pivotally connected at one end thereof to one of the leg portions of said ground reaction plate, means pivotally connecting the other end of each link of said pairs of links to the upper side walls of said bucket, the pivot axes of each pair of links being positioned to substantially define a parallelogram so that said cross piece of said reaction plate is movable from a position closely beneath the forward portion of said bucket to a position substantially rearwardly and slightly downwardly therefrom when said links are pivoted in one direction, a plurality of angled members secured to the underside of said cross piece transversely of said bucket and being positioned to present substantially vertical surfaces from the rearward side of said bucket, and means pivotally connected between said bucket and one link of each pair of links for pivoting said pairs of links in said one direction. a

15. In a tractor loader as defined in claim 14, wherein said last mentioned means comprises a pair of hydraulic rams pivotally connected between a rearwardly extending portion of the side walls of said bucket and said one link of each pair oflinks adjacent the pivotal connection of said one link of each pair of links to the leg portion of said reaction plate.

References Cited in the 'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS,

Whitrnire Nov. 1, 1938 McDade Mar. 5, 1957 Bernotas Mar. 24, 1959 Granryd May 30, 1961 Bodine Apr. 24, 1962 

1. A TRACTOR LOADER HAVING A BUCKET OPERATIVELY CARRIED FROM THE FORWARD END OF SAID TRACTOR, GROUND REACTION MEANS PIVOTALLY CARRIED BY SAID BUCKET AND BEING FORMED TO SUBSTANTIALLY RESIST ANY REARWARD MOVEMENT THEREOF UPON ENGAGING THE GROUND, AND MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID BUCKET AND SAID REACTION MEANS FOR MOVING SAID BUCKET FORWARDLY RELATIVE TO SAID REACTION MEANS. 